CLEVELAND — As families prepare for Thanksgiving, many are spending more on the holiday favorites.
According to the American Farm Bureau, families will spend 20% more this holiday than last year.
“The turkeys are outrageous right now,” said Rickey Butler. Butler spent hours in downtown Cleveland Thursday awaiting a food distribution event put on by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
In Northeast Ohio, many families are impacted by food insecurity, but there is help ahead of the special day.
“We’re distributing close to 300 Thanksgiving meals,” said Zach Siebert with United Way of Lake County.
According to United Way of Lake County, more than eleven percent of residents live with food insecurity.
The food distribution in the Muni-Lot Thursday is the largest event of the year for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Officials anticipated more than 4,000 families would attend the event. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank estimates they’ll provide 19,000 turkeys to families before Thanksgiving.
“I don’t know what I would do as high as food is right now,” said Dorothy Rankins. Rankins attends the Greater Cleveland Food Bank distributions regularly.
United Way of Lake County provided 300 Thanksgiving meals to food banks throughout the county.
Siebert told 3News that United Way has the funds for the food, but noticed the difference in prices this year.
“You’re not getting as many turkeys, you’re not getting as much bang for your buck,” said Siebert.
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